Trafigura plans first deepwater US oil export terminal

Trafigura has submitted plans to build the first US offshore deepwater oil export terminal in Corpus Christi, Mexico.

Texas Gulf Terminals, owned by Trafigura US, submitted its permit application for the Texas Gulf Terminals project on July 9 to the US Department of Transportation.

The facility will allow VLCCs capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude and other tankers to load cargo safely, directly and fully via a single-point mooring buoy system (SPM).

The use of SPMs eliminates unnecessary ship traffic in inland ports as well as the 'double handling' of the same crude oil, reducing the opportunity for spills and emissions each time the crude oil is transferred.

Currently, no US inland ports are capable of fully loading a VLCC and to do so requires multiple ship to ship transfers in lightering zones out at sea.

Trafigura says that once built, this SPM will ease infrastructure barriers to crude oil exports, grow the US economy and support jobs.

Corey Prologo, director, Texas Gulf Terminals and director of Trafigura North America, says: 'The Texas Gulf Terminals project will give US crude oil producers, particularly Texas operators, safer, cleaner and more efficient access to very large crude carriers, ensuring that the economic and employment benefits of increasing domestic crude production can be fully realise right here at home.'

The project is the latest in a series of long-term investments that Trafigura has made in commodities across the US. This includes a nearly $1 billion investment in Buckeye's marine export terminal and condensate splitter in Corpus Christi, Texas.